Dicliptera carvalhoi Lindau

Flora Zambesiaca Acanthaceae (part 2) by Iain Darbyshire, Kaj Vollesen and Ensermu Kelbessa

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herb or subshrub, erect, scrambling or decumbent, 15–150(200) cm tall; stems often wiry and brittle, 6-angular, sulcate when young, with or without pale ridges, indumentum variable (see subspecies).

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sometimes absent or immature at flowering, ovate to linear-lanceolate, 1–8(14.5) × 0.2–2.8 cm, base rounded to attenuate, apex acute or shortly attenuate, apiculate, surfaces antrorse-pubescent mainly on midrib and margins or pilose throughout, upper surface sometimes hispid, rarely glabrous; lateral veins 3–6 pairs; petiole 1–12(22) mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence either of widely spaced solitary or umbellate cymules in largely bare upper axils or umbels aggregated into a verticillate or dense globose, cylindrical or subcapitate heads; main axis bracts linear-lanceolate, pairs unequal, larger bract 2–8(12.5) mm long, sometimes caducous; cymule bracts darker and often tinged purplish towards apex or sometimes green throughout, pairs subequal to unequal, ratio 1.05–1.8 : 1 larger bract subulate, (oblong-)oblanceolate or lanceolate, 5.5–16 × 1–3(4) mm, apex either attenuate or abruptly narrowed, mucronate, with sparse to dense capitate glandular hairs towards apex particularly on internal surface, margin and often also midrib densely pilose, outer surface also with antrorse to spreading eglandular hairs; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 4.5–8 mm long, apex attenuate, margin hyaline towards base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes 2.5–5 mm long, glandular-puberulent, sometimes with few eglandular hairs along margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla (9.5)13–20 mm long, limb pink to purple or white, with purple guidelines, pubescent externally; tube (5)6.5–10.5 mm long; lip held in upper position oblong, (5.5)6.5–11.5 × 2–4.5 mm; lip held in lower position obovate or elliptic, (5)6.5–10.5 × 3.5–7.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens long-exserted; filaments (5)7–13(16) mm long, sparsely hairy above; anther thecae 0.5–1 mm long, superposed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 4.5–8 mm long, eglandular-puberulous and/or with short glandular hairs towards apex; placental base elastic.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds only subflattened, 1–1.7 mm in diameter, smooth or tuberculate, tubercles with or without minute hooks.